Reichard places in top 8 in two state events

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Screams of jubilation, shared with the Nevada Daily Mail via cell phone, filled the area when Nevada High School Freshman Grace Reichard learned she'd earned fifth in the state in the Girls 50-yard Freestyle competition in the Missouri State High School Activities Associaiton Swimming and Diving Championships held in St. Peters, Mo., over the weekend. Reichard's time of 24.45 was just .8 seconds away from the first place time of 23.65, logged by senior Rebekah Land of Hannibal. Reichard is the only freshman to have scored in the top 16 in this event -- the scores available at press time Monday.

Coach Amyl Bishop said Saturday that Grace was "relaxed and excited about swimming" that day, and her success continued in her next event.

Reichard also placed eighth in the state in the girls 100-yard Freestyle, with a time of 54.32 and also was the only freshman to have made the top 16 in this event. In all, Reichard was one of 10 freshman who competed in championship finals on Saturday, and was the only freshman to swim in the top 8 in two events.

The Nevada High School 200 Freestyle Relay team, comprised of Reichard, Brooke Munsterman, Megan Messick and Tayrin Schmitt, finished prelims with a respectable 1.46.43 in the third heat, but did not qualify for finals. Bishop noted, however, that the team was pleased to have held on to their 28th-place ranking with which they had qualified for the state event.

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